Device for unwinding and winding webs of material from or on to spools

ABSTRACT

A device for the unwinding and winding of webs of material in spools at one or more winding and unwinding stations carried by the end of one or more fore-arms articulated on a pivotable arm or circular plate, characterised in that it comprises in combination at least one drive means disposed or driven in the pivot axis of the arm or plate, this being a roller driven so as to possess a peripheral speed approaching the linear speed of the web in the machine supplied by the spool being unwound or wound, the latter being pressed at the desired moment upon the drive means which thus imparts its peripheral speed to it, for the purpose of braking in the case of unwinding or drive in the case of winding, and at least one bearing, preferably retractable, disposed at the end of each fore-arm to take up the spool by its hollow centre, with or without shaft, for on the one hand its raising and unwinding and on the other hand its winding and discharge.

United States Patent [1 1 Riegger DEVICE FOR UNWINDING AND WINDING WEBS OF MATERIAL FROM OR ON TO SPOOLS [76] Inventor: Paul Charles Riegger, 7, rue

Ehrmann, Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), France 22 Filed: July9,197l

21 Appl. No.: 161,247

[451 July 3, 1973' Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney-Young & Thompson [5 7] ABSTRACT A device for the unwinding and winding of webs of material in spools at one or more winding and unwinding stations carried by the end of one or more fore-arms articulated on a pivotable arm or circularplate, characterised in that it comprises in combination at least one drive means disposed or driven in the pivot axis of the arm or plate, this being a roller driven so as to possess a peripheral speed approaching the linear speed of the web in the machine supplied by the spool being unwound or wound, the latter being pressed at the desired moment upon the drive means which thus imparts its peripheral speed to it, for the purpose of braking in the case of unwinding or drive in the case of winding, and at least one-bearing, preferably retractable, disposed at the end of each fore-arm to take up the spool by its hollow centre, with or without shaft, for on. the one hand its raising and unwinding and on the other hand its winding and discharge.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented July 3, 1973 3,743,26

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented July 3, 1%73 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 DEVICE FOR UNWINDING AND WINDING WEBS OF MATERIAL FROM OR ON TO SPOOLS INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device permitting of unwinding orwinding respectively webs of material in spools for the supply of machines which carry out operations such as printing, coating, transformation and the like.

After the unwinding of these spools or respectively the winding of their cores it is necessary to provide for the replacement of the said cores and spools, which involves stoppage of the production machine causing losses of time and material.

Apparatuses exist which comprise several unwinding or winding stations intended for the change of spools during running. However for numerous practical cases the security of operation is obtained at the cost of a complication of the components increasingtheir cost.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes furnishing a spoolcarrier device having two or more spindles, of novel construction permitting of correctly effecting the unwinding or winding of the webs of material in spools. This device cooperates with an apparatus permitting the changing of spools while running, and comprising processes for pressing and cutting and especially that described below supplementary to the spool carrier.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION To this end the invention concerns a device for unwinding and winding webs of material in spools at one or more unwinding and winding stations carried by the end of one or more fore-arms articulated on a pivotable arm or circular plate, characterised in that it comprises in combination at least one drive means disposed in the pivot axis of the fore-arm or plate, this being a roller driven so as to possess a peripheral speed approaching the linear speed of the web in the machine supplied by the spool being unwound or wound, the latter being pressed at the desired moment upon the drive means which thus imparts its peripheral speed to it, this being for the purposes of braking in the case of unwinding or drive in the case of winding, and at least one preferably retractable bearing disposed at the end of each forearm to take up the spool by its hollow centrewith or without shaft, for on the one hand its lifting and unwinding and on the other hand its winding and discharge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 2 is a lateral elevation representing the device according to the invention in the phase of unwinding of a spool,

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a lateral elevation of the winding device according to the invention,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT According to the form of embodiment as generally used, the spool carrier device 1 is constituted by support means comprising two circular discs or plates 2 and 3 guided in their rotation by rollers 4 and 5 fixed in two base frames 6 and 7 and applied to grooves 8 of these plates. Each spool 9 rotates in two bearings 10 and 11 disposed on the ends of two fore-arms l2 and 13 which are articulated about an axle 14 between the two plates 2 and 3. One or more assemblies of such arms can be installed in this way between the two plates 2 and 3.

For narrow spools the same principle is utilised with only one plate in which a single lever is articulated per spool carrying the latter on an overhung spindle.

Each spool 9 or core 15 is applied with a regulable pressure to a roller 16 or wheels l7-and 18 rotating coaxially of the plates 2 and 3, which causes the pivoting movement of the spool carrier fore-arms and the positioning of the spool 9 as a function of the decreasing diameter during unwinding and increasing diameter during winding of this spool.

According to another form of embodiment represented by FIG. la, the roller 16 is replaced by a plurality of rollers 19 and 20 disposed on either side of the centre of the plates 2 and 3.

According to FIG. lb, this plurality of rollers comprises the rollers or wheels 21, 22, 23 and 24 which can be mounted on connecting rods 25, 26, 27 and 28 fast with the centres of the plates 2 and 3.

For both solutions concerning the arrangement of the rollers 19 and 20 or 21, 22, 23, 24 the said rollers or wheels can be surrounded by one or more endless belts per pair.

The roller or wheels have a double role. Firstly these elements serve to set the fresh spool or fresh-core in motion, which are to be connected to the terminating spool, by imparting to the periphery thereof a speed approximately identical with that of the web. Secondly these elements serve to brake the spool in the course of unwinding or drive the spool in the course of winding, by their periphery.

It is certain that the two functions require the drive of the roller or wheels in synchronism with the speed of the web in the production machine.

Likewise the articulated arms also have a double role: That of placing the spool in contact with the roller and that of easy gathering from the ground or discharge to the ground of the new spool in its own bearings by pivoting of the plates, these two roles being independent of the diameter of the spool.

In the unwinding of a spool, the connection of the fresh spool with the terminating spool during running can be achieved for example by the device as proposed by the invention by causing rocking of two levers carrying a cutter, by means of a straight edge fixed on the periphery of the spool, at a specific region in such manner that the glued web commencement precedes the straight edge and the cut takes place after the application of the web end by an elastic hub to the glued region.

According to FIG. 1 the spool 9 is either lifted from the ground or deposited on the ground by the rotation of the plates 2 and 3 and pivoting of the fore-arms l2 and 13. During this time the spool 31 is in the course of unwinding or winding.

When there are two fore-arms l2 and 13 as visible in FIG. 3, the spool-carrier bearings will be arranged for rapid opening or retraction by conventional means (not shown).

A geared motor 48 can drive the rotation of the plate or plates 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 is likewise a lateral elevation showing the apparatus in the course of unwinding a spool with the position of the two spools and the different spool-carrier elements shortly before a change of spools, which can be effected by a connection system 29 indicated only by way of example.

At this moment the fresh spool 9 is ready to be started as soon as a device, constituted for example by a jack 30, causes it to come down into contact with the roller 16.

This contact, which is established slightly before the complete unwinding of the terminating spool 31 (see FIG. 1), will cause rotation of the fresh spool 9 close to the beginning of which there is fixed a smooth straight edge 32 held on the periphery for example by two side members 33 and 34 which are applied with an elastic pressure against the sides of the spool. When the protruding ends of this straight edge touch and drive the two levers 35 and 36, this movement causes the levers carrying the cutter 37 to rock, which cutter crosses and cuts the terminating web applied for example by a brush 38 to the previously glued commencement of the spool 9. Immediately after the cutting, the straight edge 32 is detached from the periphery of the spool by the ascent of each of the two side members 33 and 34 over a corresponding cam ramp 39 fixed like the brush on a pair of pivoting levers 29 which are brought into the angular position according to FIG. 2 when it is intended to effect .the connection during running.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of FIG. 2 wherein the points A-B-C are developed into one end and the same plane. It explains firstly the position of the spool 9 in relation to the articulated arms 12 and 13 and the roller 16 or as represented in the drawing two wheels 17 and 18, the axle of which rotates in one or two bearings 40 and carries a drive element 41, for example a chain wheel.

FIG. 4 represents the apparatus in the course of the winding of a spool 9 driven by its periphery by means of the roller 16.

For the purpose of changing the spool during running, a fresh tubular core 42 is gripped on the winding shaft 43 and generally provided with glue 44 over a part of its periphery so as to fix the commencement of the web to be wound.

When this core 42 is brought close to the roller 16 by means of the pivoting fore-arms 12 and 13 to drive the tubular core 42 at the winding speed of the web, the two elastic-lined rings 45 and 46 first come into contact with the roller 16 and are driven at the same time as the shaft 43 upon which the core 42 is fixed.

As the radius of the rings 45 and 46 is greater than that of the core 42 by at least the thickness of the adhesive coating augmented by the thickness of the web, the adhesive cannot be deposited on the roller 16, and after one revolution of the core 42 the web is driven at the peripheral speed of the roller 16. Connection during running can be effected for example by means of any conventional device 49 as represented in FIG. 4.

Although the invention has been described with reference to particular forms of embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that it is in no wise limited thereto and that various modifications of forms and materials can be effected therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Thus more especially in place of the plates 2, 3 there could be provided support means in the form of levers 2, 3' (see FIG. 1).

What is claimed is:

1. A device for unwinding and winding webs of material from or onto spools, comprising support means, means mounting said support means for rotation about a first horizontal axis, drive means on said first axis, said drive means comprising at least one roller driven so as to have a peripheral speed approaching the linear speed of a web being wound or unwound, arms mounted for vertical swinging movement on and relative to said support means about further axes disposed on opposite sides of said first axis and spaced substantial distances from said first axis, and means on the ends of said arms to support spools to be wound. v

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, said drive means comprising at least one roller coaxial with said axis.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, said drive means comprising a plurality of wheels adjacent said firstmentioned axis.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, said support means comprising a rotatable disc disposed in a vertical plane, and power means for rotating said disc.

5. A device as claimed in claim I, said support means comprising at least one arm through whose midsection said first axis passes and through whose opposite ends said further axes pass.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, and means to cut and adhesively secure together the ends of webs on said spools.

wound or un- 

1. A device for unwinding and winding webs of material from or onto spools, comprising support means, means mounting said support means for rotation about a first horizOntal axis, drive means on said first axis, said drive means comprising at least one roller driven so as to have a peripheral speed approaching the linear speed of a web being wound or unwound, arms mounted for vertical swinging movement on and relative to said support means about further axes disposed on opposite sides of said first axis and spaced substantial distances from said first axis, and means on the ends of said arms to support spools to be wound or unwound.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, said drive means comprising at least one roller coaxial with said axis.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, said drive means comprising a plurality of wheels adjacent said first-mentioned axis.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, said support means comprising a rotatable disc disposed in a vertical plane, and power means for rotating said disc.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1, said support means comprising at least one arm through whose midsection said first axis passes and through whose opposite ends said further axes pass.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, and means to cut and adhesively secure together the ends of webs on said spools. 